Synthesis of Y2O3 : Eu3+ hollow spheres using silica as templates

The Y2O3:Eu3+ hollow spheres were synthesized using the template-mediated method. XRD patterns indicated that the broadened diffraction peaks resulted from nanocrystals in Y2O3:Eu3+ shells of hollow spheres. XPS spectra showed that the Y2O3:Eu3+ shells were linked with silica cores by a Si-O-Y chemical bond. SEM and TEM observations showed that the size of the SiO2/Y2O3:Eu3+ core-shell particle was about 100 nm, and the thickness of the Y2O3:Eu3+ hollow sphere was less than 5 nm. The photoluminescence spectra of the SiO2/Y2O3:Eu3+ core-shell materials and Y2O3: Eu3+ hollow spheres had red luminescent properties, and the broadened emission peaks came from nanocrystals composed of the Y2O3:Eu3+ shell.